Simple Recipe: How to Cook Authentic Korean Spicy Noodles with 7 Levels of Heat, Super Delicious

Spicy noodles are a popular dish in Korean cuisine beloved by young people. Thanks to its distinctive flavor and variety of toppings, this dish quickly attracts spice lovers and those looking to experience something new. In today's article, Mytour Blog will share with you a simple and enticing way to cook authentic Korean spicy noodles at home to treat the whole family.

Prepare Ingredients for Spicy Noodles

Spicy noodles come in different heat levels, from mild to very spicy, depending on the spices used in the cooking process. In addition to noodles, this dish is often accompanied by other ingredients such as meat, vegetables, eggs, and optional spices. Some people like to add various toppings like green onions, fried onions, kimchi, or pork skin to enhance the flavor.

In general, to cook traditional spicy noodles for about 5 people, you will need the following ingredients:

Simple Recipe: How to Cook Authentic Korean Spicy Noodles with 7 Levels of Heat

Korean 7-Level Spicy Noodles have a distinctive flavor and diverse toppings, making them popular among food enthusiasts. This dish is also quite easy to prepare, without involving overly complex steps, so you can choose to cook this delicious dish on days when you want to change up your family's meal. The recipe for authentic spicy noodles will include the following steps in order:

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

Among the raw ingredients for cooking spicy noodles, pork bones and squid bought from outside stores often have a quite distinctive odor. If not properly prepared before cooking, it can affect the taste of the dish.

• Preparing pork bones: Use a little vinegar and a few crushed ginger cloves to rub vigorously on the bones for about 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.
• Preparing squid: Use 2 to 3 fresh lemons to extract the juice. Then, gently rub the squid meat with this juice evenly and rinse with clean water to completely remove any fishy smell.

For other types of ingredients, you can proceed with simple preparation as follows:

After peeling and washing the white radish thoroughly, cut it into bite-sized pieces. Remove the corn kernels after boiling. Trim the lemongrass, wash it thoroughly, and cut off the root. Wash all accompanying vegetables thoroughly. Cut purple cabbage and cauliflower into small pieces. Remove the root of enoki mushrooms before chopping them.

Step 2: Cooking Spicy Noodle Broth with 7 Levels of Heat

After preparing the ingredients, pour about 6 liters of distilled water into a large pot. Then, add pork bones, lemongrass, and white radish into the pot. Cover tightly and boil over high heat for about 15 minutes. Once the water inside the pot is boiling, reduce the heat gradually and simmer the pork bones for about 30 more minutes. This will ensure that the broth has a naturally fragrant and sweet taste.

Use about 150 grams of Sauce Ki noodle sauce in the simmering pot of bones. Then, season the broth with everyday spices such as salt, sugar, bouillon, lemon powder, etc., until it tastes just right.

Step 3: Cooking Spicy Noodles

For each serving of ramen noodles, put them in a clay pot along with some fish balls and sausages, a bit of chopped green cabbage, and chili powder. Then, pour the noodle broth into the pot, cover, and cook over high heat until boiling. While cooking, gently stir with chopsticks to separate the noodles, avoiding clumping. A note to consider is that 1 teaspoon of chili powder usually equals 1 level of spiciness. Therefore, adjust the amount according to your family's taste preferences.

Step 4: Completion

Once the noodles are boiling, add some boiled corn, kimchi, enoki mushrooms, cilantro, spring onions, shrimp, squid, and a few slices of beef into the clay pot. Cover and continue cooking until the water boils again, then turn off the heat to complete this spicy noodle dish.

Step 5: Finished Product, Presentation, and Enjoyment

Spicy noodles boast a distinctive aroma and a rich, spicy flavor that effectively stimulates the taste buds. It's best to enjoy them while still hot to fully appreciate the dish's authentic taste.

A bowl of colorful spicy noodles with perfectly balanced broth and chewy noodles makes for the ideal choice on chilly rainy days or during gatherings with friends and family.

Important Notes When Cooking 7-Level Spicy Noodles at Home

Although spicy noodles are an easily prepared dish at home, ensuring the creation of a bowl of noodles with authentic Korean flavor requires attention to certain aspects during the cooking process:

How to Choose Fresh and Quality Ingredients

One of the key factors determining the flavor of spicy noodles is the quality of the ingredients, which must be fresh and flavorful, not spoiled or stale. Below are some tips for selecting ingredients for cooking spicy noodles that you should consider:

• Pork Bones: Opt for pork bones with a good balance of meat, fat, and bone. Additionally, ensure they have a light pink color and are moderately resilient when pressed, rather than being soft and dull.
• Beef: Quality beef should have a vibrant red color, a layer of light yellow fat surrounding it, and finely textured, small pieces. When pressed, it should feel firm and emit a characteristic beefy aroma. Avoid beef that appears dull, smells bad, and feels soft and watery.
• Squid: For delicious spicy noodles, choose small-sized squid rather than larger ones or squid with fins. Fresh squid typically has a dark brown color, shiny skin, and a translucent white body. Prioritize buying squid with good elasticity when touched.
• Shrimp: Fresh shrimp will have transparent shells on the outside. Conversely, if the shrimp is dead, the outer shell will be dark or uneven in color. Therefore, pay close attention when selecting shrimp.
• Broccoli: Broccoli is best when it has a milky white or vibrant green color, depending on the variety. It should feel very firm to the touch, not soft but with just the right amount of resilience. Choose broccoli florets that are moderately large, evenly shaped, and well-rounded to avoid buying old broccoli.

Some Other Considerations 

In addition to tips on buying ingredients, you should also pay attention to certain aspects during the process of preparing spicy noodles as follows:

• When it comes to the amount of chili powder used in spicy noodles, you can adjust the quantity according to your preference without worrying about diminishing the delicious aroma of the dish.
• In addition to the common ingredients mentioned above, you can add other toppings according to your preference, such as octopus, crab sticks, to enhance the flavor of this dish.
• It is preferable to use a clay pot when serving the dish to ensure that the ingredients are cooked to perfection and the noodles retain a consistent level of heat.
• You can use chicken bone broth instead of pork bone broth to make the spicy noodle broth.

TOP 10 Spots for Delicious 7-Level Spicy Noodles in Ho Chi Minh City

If you don't have time to cook at home, you can check out the top 10 spots for super delicious and famous spicy noodles in Ho Chi Minh City to enjoy this dish with your family and friends.

1. Sasin Spicy Noodles

• Address: 
  • 172 Tran Hung Dao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
  • 366a24 Phan Van Tri, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City.
  • 15A Hoa Phuong, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City.
  • 36 Phan Huy Ich, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 39,000 VND – 79,000 VND
• Phone Number: 1900 0131 

2. Naga Spicy Noodles

• Address:
  • 24 Pham Van Dong, Ward 1, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City
  • 146 Cay Tram, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City
  • 687 3 Thang 2 Street, Ward 6, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
  • 2A Han Thuyen, Binh Tho Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 35,000 VND – 45,000 VND
• Phone Number:  0909 660 224

3. Seoul Spicy Noodles

• Address: 105 Hoang Dieu 2, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 09:00 AM – 09:00 PM
• Price Range: 10,000 VND – 40,000 VND
• Phone Number: 0911490999

4. Larva Spicy Noodles

• Address:
  • 10 Pham Van Hai, Ward 2, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
  • 219 Nguyen Thi Dinh, Binh Trung Tay Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City.
  • 322 Bach Dang, Ward 14, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
• Price Range: 35,000 VND – 49,000 VND
• Phone Number: 028.6272.6364

5. Omega Spicy Noodles

• Address: 586 Lac Long Quan, Ward 5, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Opening Hours: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 30,000 VND – 50,000 VND
• Phone Number: 02866784646

6. Sobin Spicy Noodles

• Address: 210 Duong Ba Trac, Ward 2, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 35,000 VND – 65,000 VND
• Phone Number:  0905668211

7. Koreno Spicy Noodles

• Address: 105 Hoang Dieu 2, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 19,000 VND – 45,000 VND
• Phone Number: 035 312 2288

8. Hana Spicy Noodles

• Address: 751 Quang Trung, Ward 12, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 09:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 25,000 VND – 50,000 VND
• Phone Number: 0977567204

9. Itada Korean Spicy Noodles

• Address:
  • 285 Le Van Luong, Tan Quy Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
  • 138 Nguyen Thi Nho, Ward 15, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City
  • 369 Pham Van Chieu, Ward 14, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 08:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 30,000 VND – 50,000 VND
• Phone Number: 02839934569

10. Kochu Spicy Noodles

• Address:
  • 153 Street 17, Tan Quy Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
  • 003 Block N Apartment Building Thanh Da, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 09:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Price Range: 12,000 VND – 39,000 VND
• Phone Number: 090 373 75 18

This article has provided you with a guide to cooking authentic spicy noodles at home and the best noodle spots in Ho Chi Minh City. Hopefully, after reading, you'll know the steps to cook Korean-style noodles perfectly to impress your loved ones. To discover more cooking recipes, don't forget to follow the articles on Mytour's Blog!